The Beautiful and the Damned
by AliceinWonder13
Summary: My devotion to time's original star-crossed lovers. She was a sickness to him, an obsession. Pure intoxication, the way she laughed and danced without knowledge to the darkness of the world. He had to have her, he'd show her darkness. Hades/Persephone TEMPORARY HIATUS
1. Prologue

EPILOGUE

She turned to walk away from him and felt his harsh grip on her forearm, spinning her around roughly to face him inches from his face.

"Let me go." She said attempting to turn her face from him.

His left hand came up grabbing at her chin and mouth to hold her steady in front of him. She looked deep into the onyx orbs belonging to the God of the Underworld, she hated the seemingly unavoidable attraction she felt only a little less than she hated him.

"No one walks away from me, and especially not the Queen," he said threateningly holding her steady as she attempted to struggle.

She was infuriating, but the fluster in her cheeks and the passion in her face made her even more beautiful to him. Her body was pressed up against his and her full breasts were being pushed upwards by the tight bodice of the gown he had forced her to wear; rising and falling as she breathed deeply. She could feel his hard arousal against her, and could sense a forced control. She didn't care, she was too angry to fantasize.

She matched his ominous stare looking into his dark eyes and glaring, "You're hurting me," she said bluntly.

He blinked and gritted his teeth but his dark eyes glared at her all the same while he slightly loosened his grip on her arm and face. Her stomach did an uncomfortable flip flop at the small sentimental gesture.

"I'm not the Queen," she said slowly and sincerely in an attempt to reason with him.

"You're MY Queen," he growled lowly.

She jerked away from him violently and he pulled her harshly back. "I DO NOT BELONG TO YOU, OR TO YOUR HORRID UNDERWORLD!" She screamed pushing against his chest and slipping out of his grip.

She spun on her heal and stalked down the stairs of the platform that housed the throne of Hades and through the grey marble pillars, the patter of her bare feet echoed as she rushed out of the room.

"NOT YET YOU DON'T!" He roared after her.


	2. Chapter I

**This is my first story I've attempted to write completely, let alone tackle Hades and Persephone. Thank you for the support! Just bear with me while I get myself used to everything! **

**Disclaimer: I've rated this generally "M" because of mature themes all throughout, as well as graphic sexual scenes later. Notice of these scenes will always be included in the disclaimer at the beginning of the chapter as forewarning to dodge any offense.**

**Chapter I.**

This had been the second day he had made the journey above ground to gaze upon her. His new feelings had left him confused and vulnerable. He had never felt this way about anyone before. From the moment his eyes fell upon her it was like an invisible string had been tied to his cold heart, and the other end was deviously looped around her slender finger enslaving him to her.

She had been an accidental discovery only a few days ago, and one that he had attempted to forget but could not. After an insufferably long audience with his younger boisterous brother Zeus, he had rushed from Mount Olympus on his gothic chariot; whipping his onyx red eyed undead horses to transport him to his beloved underworld as quickly as possible.

He hated it up here. He had never seen anything worthwhile on earth. The living were so dramatic, so tedious. He preferred them much better upon their deaths where he could gain an insight to their entire lives within seconds of a wave of his hand and disperse them to their appropriate fates for eternity. Mortals were simply a job to Hades, and the other Gods just an added annoyance.

The horses led him to a stretch of golden Greek country side where he spotted a group of what appeared to be nymphs dancing in a circle. He slowed the chariot to a slow trot and began to look closely. There was one that was different from the others. She was taller and almost seemed to emit an immortal like glow that put the others drastically to shame; it surprised him he had not noticed the difference from farther away.

They were playing a game and she was being chased by a fellow nymph through the golden grass, her chocolate brown hair long and blowing fluid like in the wind. Her skin was sun kissed and golden, her body slender but curvaceous and her smile rivaled the merriest of women.

_Perfect,_ he thought licking his lips.

The nymph caught her and she threw back her head and laughed in absolute amusement and then playfully collapsed to the ground.

His breath caught in his chest…_who are you? _

His own thought rang through his head scolding him as if he should know the answer.

"Persephone!" A booming voice rang out from the west and the girls craned their necks quickly towards it.

"Come in Persephone," it beckoned. The brunette seemed disappointed and gave a heavy sigh and a weak and embarrassed smile to her friends who began to disperse.

"I'm coming mother!" She yelled back looking around and then running quickly towards the setting sun.

"Persephone," he whispered as he watched her run away, her peach gown trailing behind her like a breeze.

"Glaucus," he called darkly, the earthly ground rumbled and carried below into the dark depths of the Underworld. At the same moment a grey and feeble mignon looked up, his blind eyes white and seeking reason for the summons.

"I command you as your lord and master, tell me what you see of her, tell me who she is." He didn't take his eyes from her form silhouetted by the setting sun and waited for the oracle's answer.

The oracle strained his neck and his breath caught harshly in his throat before he answered Hades with a smile bearing his black and rotting teeth.

"She is Persephone my master, Goddess of Spring and daughter to Demeter and your brother Zeus, her mother has called and so she goes to her. There is none that exists in this world as goodly and innocent as she." His voice echoed through the blackened rock he was imprisoned in as well as Hades mind.

His heart sank, "Of course I should have realized, she was a child when I saw her last." He was immediately disappointed.

He knew of his sister and her obsession with the safety of her daughter. It was said Demeter never allowed her to be alone and that she was devotedly obedient. Of course the fates would deliver an obedient attraction…typical. His own gloom surprised him and he shook his head minutely as if snapping out of a trance. Why should he care of Demeter's daughter, anyone was available to him. He snapped the reigns quickly and the horses reared in acknowledgment as he continued towards his desired destination.

He was in a foul mood upon returning to the Underworld. Little gave him comfort and he attempted to forget her, attempted to convince himself that she was nothing to concern himself with but he couldn't. He looked up at the unending vaulted ceilings of his kingdom as if trying to feel her on earth above and then shrugged. Her beauty was so haunting. She was boisterous and joyful, but there was a mystery to her that continued to draw him in.

He could barely partake in his duties of judging the dead without seeing her face on the bodies of every soul that came into his presence…this made him uncharacteristically lenient which he would not stand for. He did not sleep, and when he did her image filled his mind.

Seeing her again was the only way he felt he could keep himself from going insane.

So here he was again, entranced by her simply living her life. She was with the nymphs as always picking flowers in the forest. Her hair was up in a messy knot behind her head, a chrysanthemum holding it loosely in place. Her gown was simple, a one shouldered mint green that bunched around her waist loosely and stretched tightly over her full breasts. Being Lord of the Underworld gave him the ability to make himself virtually invisible as long as he stayed in the shadows, so there he stood in the shade of a tree watching her.

"I heard about Ares when I was on the Mountain yesterday," Helena said casually flipping her blonde air and nudging Persephone.

The other nymphs laughed deviously, but Persephone's face graced an uneasy and bitter smile.

"He's insufferable, he treats courting like war…harsh, sloppy, and entirely without any sentiment. He goes into it automatically assuming I'll say yes to him like I'm some conquest that he can just take and throw over his shoulder and bring to camp to roast." She said wearily brushing a stray hair from her face.

"I hate that."

She paused and smiled, "although I must tell you seeing Aphrodite jealous is always a satisfying site," she said amusingly. The other nymphs giggled.

"I heard he tried to rape you," Mirva called from downstream.

Hades felt his fists clench in fury. That bastard of war Ares, the thought of his callous hands touching her let alone raping her was unbearable to him. He silently vowed to vex Ares later.

The nymphs stopped and looked at Persephone, who had also paused and was looking down as if pondering whether or not to answer the question.

"I…I suppose he didn't really succeed in getting to a point where I could say that, by the time the encounter became serious mother had already come." She said bluntly.

"It's interesting…" she began, sitting on the soft grass with the nymphs following around her. She took out her hair from its bun and it cascaded in messy waves around her; a graceful and simple gesture that left Hades' mouth dry as he continued to lean up against the shady tree.

"…I can never make up my mind as to whether or not I want to resent her, I hate that I'm not allowed to be alone. I'm in my 19th summer and she still doesn't permit me to stay out past sunset."

She stopped and smiled, "but then she always seems to be in the right place at the right time, when I need her she knows I need her."

"It's a maternal thing it is, I'm sure when you become a mother one day you'll have the same ability." Karisa said as she twined together some orchids.

She fluffed her hair and rested her chin on her hand and rolled her eyes, "Yes but you have to think she has to allow some poor man to marry me before I can have children. Every suitor is turned away, no one is ever good enough; and those are the ones that I **know **of, how many have approached her without my knowledge I cannot say."

At that moment Hades swore she had seen him because her brown eyes looked directly into his. Her dark lashes fluttered as she eyed the cypress tree he was leaning against. She didn't know why but she felt as though it was watching her. She shivered.

His heart pounded heavily in his chest as her soft lips cracked into a small smile. She unknowingly held his gaze and then looked down at her fingers.

"I can't wait to fall in love."

He exhaled quietly as she looked towards the setting sun and jumped up from her place in the circle, the basket of flowers swinging on her arm as she hurriedly bid the nymphs farewell and ran to the temple of Demeter.

To Hades the result of this "encounter" was simple…he had to have her.

"Will you not consult the fates my master?" Glaucus croaked as Hades passed the arched entry way to the black and domed room that housed his imprisoned oracle.

He turned his head to look at him, his feeble body was hunched over with his back to Hades and he ominously stared at his own reflection in the glittering and smooth wall of his dwelling. Hades did not bother to question Glaucus or even to enter the room to command answers for his mysterious comment. That was the only negative thing about an oracle to Hades, they knew everything that happened in the other realms…and even worse your thoughts. They were ghastly bad liars, nothing was ever a secret to an oracle.

"My desires are mine and don't require counsel of the fates." He growled defensively.

"It has been to long that I have ignored the obvious absence of Queen for this kingdom. The Underworld will finally gain the Queen it deserves…**I **will have a Queen," he said quietly.

"Challenge by the fates or any immortals alike will be met with absolute destruction, let none dare question me."

The heavy material of his cloak billowed as he stalked away from Glaucus and down the marble hallways to his chambers.

Glaucus looked down and then back at his reflection.

"Yes my master you'll have her…," he whispered quietly.

"…but never completely."


	3. Chapter II

**Thanks so much for the reviews I feel the love! Here's another!**

**Still rated "M."**

**Chapter II.**

What was he considering exactly? He had to have her that was true, but how was he supposed to achieve that? He could go to Demeter, however he was sure that would result not only in a denial and even worse she would then know of his attraction to her daughter. She'd go to great lengths to keep him from any possibility of seeing Persephone again. Knowing Demeter she'd confine her to some sort of inescapable prison cell.

Zeus? He was technically her father regardless of how much of an absentee one. His brother had a bad track record with children, especially the illegitimate ones. He couldn't imagine why anyone would throw her away, however Zeus tended to surprise him in a bad way. He pushed the idea quickly from his mind, entertaining Zeus with his actual feelings; especially ones so sentimental, was out of the question. He _couldn't_ let this go, he _wouldn't_ let it go.

"My lord…," a melodic voice began sternly. Hades looked up, his head perched upon his fingers. He ran his hand through his wavy dark hair and his dark eyes narrowed at the interruption of his thoughts. He then looked down from his tall stone podium to the glowing floor below, to see Hectate standing before him with a grimace on her face. She looked up at him stubbornly with her long porcelain arms crossed and her jet black hair intricately pulled back into a braided bun. Her eyes were so light they looked orange…she didn't seem amused.

He raised his eye brows sarcastically to acknowledge her. The room they were in was one of the most important in the underworld. The entire room was dark with exception to the floor which glowed a grayish blue and illuminated the room with water like reflection. It was meant to feel like a purgatory, not terrifying but most definitely not calming. The dead were escorted to the center of the floor that then projected their lives to Hades. No secrets and no mercy. He was notorious for judging harshly, it kept mortals living well. Today he simply didn't care about anything or anyone but her. At least 100 souls had come to him in the past two hours and every one of them had been sent straight to the Elysium Fields without even glancing at their former transgressions, until finally he neglected to pay attention at all.

"…I'm beginning to believe that one of two things is occurring. The first, that you have suddenly experienced some sort of change of heart, which is highly doubtful. The second that you are grossly distracted by something that is most likely not as important as this. I don't think I have to ponder the answer for too long." She finished having not moved from her position. He was almost positive that she had neglected to blink as well.

He sighed and sat back in his throne. She dropped her shoulders exhaustingly.

"I ask this in all respects my lord but, what is wrong with you?" She said bitterly.

When he neglected to answer her she continued. "We've all noticed that you are not your usual self, and…well not that we necessarily question your decisions, but it would seem that you are not being as f-fair as you usually are," she said carefully.

"Your mind is elsewhere that at least is true." She finished, patiently awaiting his answer.

He hadn't planned on answering her because he wasn't listening; instead he got up and silently walked out of the room.

Hectate rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in frustration. She looked up at archway in which he exited hoping that he would come back. When he neglected to do so she grunted annoyingly and stalked from the chambers.

* * *

><p>Persephone awoke to an empty home. Demeter must have had responsibilities on Olympus that she had forgotten to mention. When she went to Olympus she was usually gone all day. Grabbing some fruit from their table she smiled to herself….finally some time to be alone! She usually tried to be obedient, and for a small second felt a pain of guilt for her desire to defy her mother. When she looked out the window into the beautiful day, she quickly decided against obedience and ran up to her room.<p>

She changed into a comfortable cream gown. Her mother never usually allowed her to wear it because it wasn't floor length, nor did it have straps and fell mid-thigh. She tied a simple silken brown sash around the middle and fastened a loose bow just above her left hip. She was never allowed to accentuate her slender waist or hips, and especially not leave her room with completely bare shoulders. This dress achieved all of the above and she surveyed herself in the small mirror her mother had, her cheeks flushed from inner satisfaction.

She justified her decision with her location. She planned on going back to the cypress tree; she knew no one would see her anyway. She grabbed a basket for flowers and bolted from the temple. It felt amazing. She flew through the fields towards the forest with a smile on her face and wished the feeling could last for forever.

As she reached the edge of the forest she stopped running to catch her breath and slowly made her way through the shady vegetation. The cooler temperature was a relief to her, her skin was slicked with a faint layer of sweat and she pushed her hair out of her face. She walked a little further before she found the cypress tree, again overwhelmed by an odd feeling that she was being watched. She discarded her paranoia and began walking further into the forest.

She picked flowers as she went most ones she had seen before. She took pleasure in the solitude even though the activities were the same as they always were. She put down her basket and laid down in the grass, rolled over onto her side, and closed her eyes.

She took a deep breath and smiled before opening her brown eyes lazily. Her dark lashes fluttered and she squinted, trying to focus on what she saw in the distance. At the mouth of the river was a flower she'd never seen before, it was so beautiful. She picked up her head and pulled herself up to lean on an elbow in an attempt to get a better look.

Yes, it wasn't her imagination it was there and she pushed herself up and walked over to it slowly. It was so unique, so oddly placed that something inside of her feared it. It was a deep red color, rich and hearty like the color of blood.

Her hesitation at simply claiming it confused her. It was just a flower after all, regardless of how unique it was still the same as the ones she picked before. She bent down and touched a silken petal, entranced by its softness like fine velvet. Before she knew it her slender fingers had wrapped around the stem and she pulled. The roots were unnaturally long and spindly like thin wiry strands of hair. She brought it to her nose and sniffed, a spicy scent filled her nostrils and made her eyes water. She looked around and realized the forest had become unnaturally quiet. The wind wasn't blowing, none of the birds were singing. It was if everything had died.

She took a step backwards and suddenly there was a deafening roar. The ground shook and the mouth of the river exploded open with a powerful fury. Loose dirt and water sprayed in all directions and she fell onto her back with a thud knocking the wind out of her. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she thought she was going to die. Her eyes widened in horror as four black horses rose from the abyss pulling an incredible chariot. She clutched the flower digging her nails into her own hands as she screamed and began scooting backwards. They reared their large hooves into the air and came down with an incredible thud, nearly rolling her over. All she could see of the chariots master was a long billowing black cloak that enveloped what appeared to be an impressive figure, and a horned battle helmet.

She turned and dug her knee and toes into the ground and launched herself up into a run. She had barely made any ground when she felt a hand grip the silken sash around her middle. She screamed, feeling tears run down her face in absolute terror and struggled. She must have succeeded because she tripped slightly forward as if the sash had been ripped from the gown. She felt a hand grip her wrist, and she was pulled backwards with such strength she felt sick. She was whipped around and her head collided with armor.

She looked up to only to see the sun shining through a clearing in the trees and the silhouetted head of whoever the terrifying figure was. As hard as she tried, for the life of her she couldn't make out the features of his face. She thrashed about and tried to claw violently at the helmet and exposed neck but nothing seemed to phase him. It just looked her as if amused by her fight for her life.

She suddenly felt dizzy and weak; she could feel her body getting heavy and it felt hard to stand up. Her eyes burned and her eyelids felt sore from straining to stay open. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion and she could hear her own heart pumping within her chest. She looked up to the clearing with absolute terror and desperation, to the glimmer of light shining through the trees as her eye site began to blur. Another tear rolled down her cheek… and everything went black.

* * *

><p>He thought everything was going to fail when he saw her launch herself up from the ground and begin to run. There was no way he could let her escape him. He jumped from the carriage to the ground and grabbed at her in whatever way he could stop her. His hand gripped the silken sash of her gown but she struggled against him and it tore from her waist. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her forcefully. She spun and collided against the breast plate of his armor. She looked up at him in absolute terror and tried to fight him, clawing at his helmet. Before he could restrain her properly her strength faded and she fainted.<p>

He didn't have time to admire her then, he quickly slipped an arm under her knees and behind her back and jumped onto the chariot. He kept an arm wrapped around her waist and let her legs down so that she leaned against him. He grabbed the rains and cried out to the horses who reared their powerful legs and dove into abyss. On their way down Hades let go of the rains and once again slipped an arm under her knees and scooped her up into his arms.

He looked at her emotionless face, even unconscience she was full of life. She was so light, she felt so delicate and temporal, as if one wrong move would break her. He bent down and brushed his lips to her forehead and then to her eye lids gently. She was so soft and warm. He hadn't felt that warmth in centuries if ever at all. Her beauty beguiled him from afar, but up close it positively enslaved him. It took everything in his being to restrain himself from exploring her more. The light outline of her full breasts could be seen through the cream material of the gown, damp from the river water. He gritted his teeth feeling his member twitch. The horses landed gently onto the soft black dirt of their runway and the ghastly crater they had created slowly closed with a light rumble. Everything was quiet as he stepped off of the chariot with her limply in his arms. Her head lolled back and her dark hair hair hung down away from her face. Servants slowly glided into the room, stopped and gasped upon seeing their master with a living girl in his arms. He looked at them and then down at her, his face cracked into the smallest of smiles.

"Euanthe!" He called out to the shocked group of undead servants. A small girl with flaming red hair stepped forward and bowed her head in humility.

"Yes my master, how may I serve you?" She asked meekly.

"Prepare the chambers down the hall from mine. New gowns, oils, linens, jewels...she'll have it all, she'll have the finest," he said not taking his eyes off of her sleeping face.

The young girl curtsied and hurried away to carry out Hades' orders.

He turned and began following Euanthe to Persephone's new chambers. Unbeknownst to him she stirred weakly in his arms and tried to open her eyes but only succeeded in opening them slightly. Her head was throbbing painfully and she felt like she was being carried. She looked up at whoever's arms cradled her weak body and settled upon his blurred face. Her sight was going in and out and she was only able to make out flashes of her capture. A man's rich dark hair and pale skin, a strong jaw, sharp contoured features, dark mysterious eyes..._what was happening?_ The pain in her head and intense vertigo once again over took her and she lulled back into complete submission.


End file.
